


Pulling Teeth

by Rangergirl3



Series: Bad Things Happen Bingo [22]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Keith (Voltron) Whump, Protective Matt, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-15 02:44:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20858930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rangergirl3/pseuds/Rangergirl3
Summary: Haxus gets creative with torture methods.(A bit of a continuation of the work 'Coughing Up Blood')





	Pulling Teeth

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Pulling Teeth
> 
> It's not pretty. Mentions of blood, some slight(?) gore, and general, dental-trauma-related messiness.

The scream coming from the other side of the room cuts off with a horrible gurgle, but Matt still can't bring himself to look. If he does, he's certain that he will throw up, and that would only make things worse.

_But how could things get worse?_

Metal glints under the purple light as Haxus raises the pliers higher, the better to show Matt what he's holding.

"Not as sharp as mine, I grant you," the lieutenant says, as he shrugs, allowing something sharp and small and white to clatter onto the floor in a spurt of crimson. "But still enough of a threat to remove."

Behind Haxus, Matt can just make out Keith's face. It's twisted in agony, and his chest heaves for breath as blood continues to stream down the left side of his mouth. 

* * *

When Haxus brings the pliers towards the right side of his face, Keith chokes out a dry sob and tries to squirm away, but the Galra soldier at his side only tightens his grip on Keith's hair and nods to Haxus.

"Ready."

* * *

The scream this time is fainter, but it's longer, as if the sound is being wrenched out of Keith's chest and drawn out across the wide open space between them.

The exact details are hard to make out, but Matt _knows_ his friend is in agony.

* * *

When Haxus reaches for the his left side of his jaw again, Keith can't help but start to cry. 

He doesn't want to, but it hurts, so much. It doesn't stop, it just grows worse and worse with every passing moment. 

Above him, Keith sees the Galra lieutenant's eyes narrow in disgust.

"Pathetic," Haxus spits. 

Keith can't bring himself to care. 

It hurts too much.

* * *

Even from across this distance, it's obvious when Keith's last attempt at stoicism shatters. 

Matt doesn't blame his friend in the slightest. 

_Hell, he's almost crying too._

But he doesn't have that luxury, especially not when Haxus glances back towards Matt to see what effect, if any, this has had on him so far.

"Well, Matthew Holt?"

Matt hates the way Haxus uses his name like a weapon - pointed, jagged, meant to catch and tear and leave scars behind.

"_Where_ the rebels planning to attack?"

* * *

From where he's held down against the floor, Keith sees the smirk on the lieutenant's face.

Haxus knows full well that Matt won't tell him anything, but the Galra has no qualms whatsoever about making this as awful as possible for both Matt and Keith.

It's almost worse than the never-ceasing agony that pounds with every heartbeat.

Almost.

But not quite.

* * *

Matt forces himself to swallow back the lump in his own throat that comes from knowing there's nothing he can do to make this better for Keith.

He _can't_ betray the rebellion.

Haxus sees the resolution in Matt's eyes, shrugs, and then turns back to Keith.

"Let's see if your other two canines are any sharper, shall we?"

* * *

Keith tries to shut his mind to the knowledge that Haxus is enjoying this, but then there's _pressure _on his jaw, pressing down, down, down, and then a tearing, a ripping, just like before. 

He screams, again, he can't help it, but this time, it cuts off with frightening suddenness and an awful, wet, red gurgle.

Blood pulses from the gaping holes in his jaw, running down the back of his throat and making him gag on the taste of it.

_His own blood has cut off his screams._

* * *

"Please, stop it!"

Matt's voice is cracked, broken. 

_Had Matt been screaming, too?_

* * *

Haxus turns back towards Matt with a hideous smirk on his face.

"Ah, but I will, just as soon as you tell me -"

As he takes hold of the fourth and final canine, Keith stiffens in terror and goes completely still.

It's no use.

Haxus tears the fourth and final canine tooth from Keith's jaw, and the former Red Paladin's body shudders with pain.

"- _where._ _the._ _rebels._ **_are_**."

* * *

More than anything, Matt wishes he could tell Haxus something, a scrap of information that wouldn't put the Coalalition at risk, but he can't tell Haxus where the rebel base is, or where they plan to attack the Galra fleet next.

_That's_ when Haxus reaches down and forces Keith's jaws closed.

* * *

The world around Keith vanishes, wiped into nothing but white nothingness as panic builds behind his eyes.

_He can't get air._

The blood won't stop pooling in his mouth, or sliding down his throat, but he can't spit it out with Haxus holding his jaws shut like this.

Keith arches his back and twists his head desperately from side to side. All the while, his one good leg kicks out and leaves a terrible smear pattern the red-streaked floor. 

He just wants to leave the pain behind.

_Please, someone, make it stop, **please**._

* * *

Matt does throw up then, but it's not because of the blood, the awful sounds, or even the few teeth on the floor.

It's because Keith is so, _so_ scared. 

* * *

The pain only stops when the world around Keith goes black.

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Yeah, this one is shorter than the others...but it's not like it's because I had four adult teeth pulled without proper anesthetic when I was eight years old because the jackass dentist was in a hurry and didn't wait for the numbing agent to kick in.
> 
> No, wait...yes...yes that did happen. 
> 
> *heaves a sigh and rolls eyes in an effort to distance the very unpleasant memories*
> 
> But, thankfully, my teeth turned out fine. Mostly. I take very good care of them in an effort to avoid encountering anything like that again. :-)
> 
> As for dentists who abuse their practice, I hereby wish infinite root canals upon them, one and all. 
> 
> aka (May all their bacon burn)
> 
> Comments are AMAZING and always make me happier than a cup of fresh coffee!! :D :D Kudos are like a friendly high five from a friend :-)


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